Pubdate: Tue, 18 Jul 2000 Source: Orange County Register (CA) Copyright: 2000 The Orange County Register Contact: P.O. Box 11626, Santa Ana, CA 92711 Fax: (714) 565-3657 Website: http://www.ocregister.com/ OAKLAND CLUB ALLOWED TO GIVE OUT MARIJUANA A federal judge in San Francisco has cleared the way for an Oakland club to distribute marijuana for medicinal purposes, saying the government hasn't proven why seriously ill patients should be denied the drug. Monday's decision will allow the Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Cooperative to provide cannabis to members who face imminent harm from a serious medical condition and have found that legal alternatives to marijuana don't work or cause intolerable side effects. "We believe this is the tip of the iceberg," said John Entwhistle, a spokesman for Californians for Compassionate Use, the group that wrote the state's medical marijuana initiative, known as Proposition 215. "We think at least the feds are starting to recognize the strength and reality of the medical necessity of using marijuana as medicine, at least for certain conditions." Justice Department spokeswoman Gretchen Michael said officials were reviewing the decision by U.S. District Court Charles R. Breyer. She had no further comment. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek